Gaming machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing machines and the expectation of winning at each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting machines. Shrewd operators consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines, features, and enhancements available because such machines attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to the operator. Therefore, there is a continuing need for gaming machine manufacturers to continuously develop new games and improved gaming enhancements that will attract frequent play through enhanced entertainment value to the player.
One concept that has been successfully employed to enhance the entertainment value of a game is the concept of a “secondary” or “bonus” game that may be played in conjunction with a “basic” game. The bonus game may comprise any type of game, either similar to or completely different from the basic game, which is entered upon the occurrence of a selected event or outcome in the basic game. Generally, bonus games provide a greater expectation of winning than the basic game and may also be accompanied with more attractive or unusual video displays and/or audio. Bonus games may additionally award players with “progressive jackpot” awards that are funded, at least in part, by a percentage of coin-in from the gaming machine or a plurality of participating gaming machines. Because the bonus game concept offers tremendous advantages in player appeal and excitement relative to other known games, and because such games are attractive to both players and operators, there is a continuing need to develop gaming machines with new types of bonus games to satisfy the demands of players and operators.
Gaming machines typically include a gaming cabinet that has a main front door, two side walls, and a rear wall. The main door has numerous components mounted thereon, such as, for example, a primary display, a secondary display, and various input and output devices. The two side walls and the rear wall typically do not include many (if any) components and generally weigh less than the main door. Accordingly, opening and closing the relatively heavy main door may cause the gaming cabinet to “rock” bank-and-forth, which, in turn, may cause the side walls, the rear wall, and other components to become loose in their respective mounted positions. Thus, a problem with some current gaming cabinets is that they are likely to become flimsy, through frequency of use. This, in turn, results in safety problems because it increases the likelihood that the gaming machine may “tip over” and cause bodily harm or physical damage.
Another problem associated with some current gaming cabinets is that, as time passes, the gaming cabinet becomes deformed and the main door fails to properly align with the side walls. Thus, opening and closing the main door, such as when performing maintenance, tends to become a difficult and frustrating experience over time.
Accordingly, a need exists for a gaming cabinet having one or more structural members for increased structural strength. The present invention is directed to satisfying one or more of these needs and solving other problems.